Apple debuts credit card as it readies TV+ launch

SAN FRANCISCO:
Apple on Tuesday launched a smartphone-generation credit card in the US and
moved closer to hitting the hot streaming television market with a new
subscription service. The moves come as Apple shifts to emphasize digital
content and other services to offset a pullback in the once-sizzling smartphone
market.

Arrival of an
Apple Card tailored particularly for iPhone fans came with reports that the
technology titan is keen to launch its TV+ streaming service before Disney goes
live with a rival in November. Apple TV+ will debut with a small selection of
original content and a possible subscription price of $9.99, Bloomberg
reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The price would be more than
that charged by powerhouse players Netflix and Amazon Prime as well as the
announced subscription cost of a Disney+ service to launch on November 12.
California-based Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment
about TV+.

Spending on shows

Apple has
reportedly allocated more than $6 billion for TV+ original shows, a small
number of which would be available when the service goes live. Ads for
“The Morning Show” starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and
Steve Carrell began appearing on Twitter. The show was described as “a
high-stakes drama that pulls back the curtain on the morning news” coming
this fall to those with Apple TV+ subscriptions.

With Hollywood
stars galore, Apple in March unveiled streaming video plans along with news and
game subscription offerings as part of an effort to shift its focus to digital
content and services to break free of its reliance on iPhone sales. The Apple
TV+ service, an on-demand, ad-free subscription service, will launch this year
in 100 countries, the company said at the event. “We feel we can
contribute something important to our culture and to our society through great
storytelling,” Apple chief executive Tim Cook said when the service was
announced.

Apple revealed
only a few of the programs in the works but announced collaborations with
celebrities on both sides of the camera including Octavia Spencer, JJ Abrams,
Jason Momoa and M. Night Shyamalan. The new content will be available on an
upgraded Apple TV app, which will be on smart television sets and third-party
platforms including Roku and Amazon’s Fire TV. Apple will also allow consumers
to subscribe to third-party services like HBO and Starz from the same
application. Creative Strategies analyst Carolina Milanesi expected Apple TV+
to be more of a channel at its streaming video service, similar to an HBO, than
to be a “one-stop-shop” that would stand alone.

Games and Cards

Apple is aiming
to leverage its position with some 900 million people worldwide who use at
least one of its devices. The company has announced plans to launch a new game
subscription service called Apple Arcade internationally later this year.
“Apple Arcade will introduce an innovative way to access a collection of
brand new games that will not be available on any other mobile platform or in
any other subscription service,” Apple said in a statement.

The Apple credit
card that became available on Tuesday in a partnership with Goldman Sachs was
integrated with Apple Pay. Those signing up will get a physical card and one
for a digital wallet, with the two companies pledging to refrain from sharing
or selling data to third parties for marketing and advertising.

Apple Card
features that could shake up the credit card industry include not charging fees,
giving users cash back on purchases, and providing tools for people to better
manage their debt. “Apple Card delivers new experiences only possible with
the power of iPhone,” the company said in an online post. The card uses
machine learning and mapping capabilities to let users keep track of spending,
and provides payment options showing interest costs of various options. – AFP